This invention relates to a cooling apparatus for a vehicle engine and more particularly to an improved air cooling system for an off the road type vehicle.
The use of off the road balloon tired, single passenger vehicles is well known. Such vehicles employ at least two wheels at one end of the vehicle and at least one wheel at the other end of the vehicle with a supporting frame and saddle type rider seat carried by the frame between the wheels. In addition, a powering engine is carried by the frame and is positioned generally between the seat and in an area where it will be straddled by the rider's legs.
This type of vehicle was intended originally primarily for recreational purposes. It has been found recently, however, that such vehicles are very well suited for use in agricultural purposes. Therefore, this type of vehicle may be used either for recreation or work.
As with any vehicle, it is important that the engine be adequately cooled. This is particularly true in connection with a vehicle of the aforedescribed type since the engine is positioned in the open frame and is disposed between the front and rear wheels and in close proximity to the rider. The use of air cooled engines for this purpose has the advantage of simplicity. The use of air cooled engines in such types of vehicles, however, presents certain problems.
In the first instance, the engine is normally disposed with its crankshaft extending transversely to the longitudinal center line of the vehicle. Hence, if a cooling fam is driven by the engine in a conventional manner, it tends to increase the width of the power plant and because the power plant is positioned between the rider's legs, it can give rise to an unnatural riding position.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved air cooling arrangement for a vehicle.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved air cooling arrangement for a vehicle of the single rider type.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an improved and compact cooling fan drive for a vehicle of this type.
As has been noted, vehicles of the type described are primarly intended for off the road use. Because of the open frame construction and the positioning of the engine, it is likely that the engine and particularly the cooling fans may be clogged with foreign material that is thrown up by the wheels. Furthermore, it is important that the heat that is removed from the engine be ducted away from the rider so that the rider will not become uncomfortably warm. This is particularly true since in agricultural applications, the vehicle may be operated in a stationary manner with the engine running for long periods of time.
It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide an improved cooling system for a vehicle of this type.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an improved cooling shroud arrangement for the engine of an off the road vehicle.